a staunch supporter or adherent; one who can be relied upon.
something upon which one can rely and therefore choose or use regularly.
something or someone held ready to serve as a substitute, especially a radio or television program used as a filler in case of cancellation of a regularly scheduled program.
a traveler who is waiting for last-minute accommodations to become available on a plane, train, or other transport as a result of a cancellation.
adjective
kept readily available for use in an emergency, shortage, or the like: a standby player.
of or relating to last-minute accommodations, the transport that offers them, or a traveler who is waiting for them: a standby flight.
of or relating to a waiting period.
Idioms
on standby, in a state of readiness to act, respond, or be used immediately when needed.
Origin of standby
First recorded in 1790–1800; noun, adj. use of verb phrase stand by
stand
[stand]
verb (used without object),stood,stand·ing.
(of a person) to be in an upright position on the feet.
to rise to one's feet (often followed by up).
to have a specified height when in this position: a basketball player who stands six feet seven inches.
to stop or remain motionless or steady on the feet.
to take a position or place as indicated: to stand aside.
to remain firm or steadfast, as in a cause.
to take up or maintain a position or attitude with respect to a person, issue, or the like: to stand as sponsor for a person.
to have or adopt a certain policy, course, or attitude, as of adherence, support, opposition, or resistance: He stands for free trade.
(of things) to be in an upright or vertical position, be set on end, or rest on or as on a support.
to be set, placed, fixed, located, or situated: The building stands at 34th Street and 5th Avenue.
(of an account, score, etc.) to show, be, or remain as indicated; show the specified position of the parties concerned: The score stood 18 to 14 at the half.
to remain erect or whole; resist change, decay, or destruction (often followed by up): The ruins still stand. The old building stood up well.
to continue in force or remain valid: The agreement stands as signed.
to remain still, stationary, or unused: The bicycle stood in the basement all winter.
to be or become stagnant, as water.
(of persons or things) to be or remain in a specified state, condition, relation, relative position, etc.: He stood in jeopardy of losing his license.
to have the possibility or likelihood: He stands to gain a sizable profit through the sale of the house.
Chiefly British. to become or be a candidate, as for public office (usually followed by for).
Nautical.
to take or hold a particular course at sea.
to move in a certain direction: to stand offshore.
(of a male domestic animal, especially a stud) to be available as a sire, usually for a fee: Three Derby winners are now standing in Kentucky.
verb (used with object),stood,stand·ing.
to cause to stand; set upright; set: Stand the chair by the lamp.
to face or encounter: to stand an assault.
to undergo or submit to: to stand trial.
to endure or undergo without harm or damage or without giving way: His eyes are strong enough to stand the glare.
to endure or tolerate: She can't stand her father.
to treat or pay for: I'll stand you to a drink when the manuscript is in.
to perform the duty of or participate in as part of one's job or duty: to stand watch aboard ship.
noun,pluralstandsfor 28–49, standsor, esp. after a numeral, standfor 50.
the act of standing; an assuming of or a remaining in an upright position.
a cessation of motion; halt or stop.
a determined effort for or against something, especially a final defensive effort: Custer's last stand.
a determined policy, position, attitude, etc., taken or maintained: We must take a stand on political issues.
the place in which a person or thing stands; station.
Chiefly British. a complete set of arms or accoutrements for one soldier.
Verb Phrases
stand by,
to uphold; support: She stood by him whenever he was in trouble.
to adhere to (an agreement, promise, etc.); affirm: She stood by her decision despite her sister's arguments.
to stand ready; wait: Please stand by while I fix this antenna.
to get ready to speak, act, etc., as at the beginning of a radio or television program.
to be ready to board a plane, train, or other transport if accommodations become available at the last minute.
stand down,
Law.to leave the witness stand.
to step aside; withdraw, as from a competition: I agreed to stand down so that she could run for the nomination unopposed.
to leave or take out of active work or service: to stand down some of the ships in the fleet.
stand for,
to represent; symbolize: P.S. stands for “postscript.”
to advocate; favor: He stands for both freedom and justice.
Informal.to tolerate; allow: I won't stand for any nonsense!
stand in with,
to be in association or conspiracy with.
to enjoy the favor of; be on friendly terms with.
stand off,
to keep or stay at a distance.
to put off; evade.
stand on,
to depend on; rest on: The case stands on his testimony.
to be particular about; demand: to stand on ceremony.
Nautical.to maintain a course and speed.
stand out,
to project; protrude: The piers stand out from the harbor wall.
to be conspicuous or prominent: She stands out in a crowd.
to persist in opposition or resistance; be inflexible.
Nautical.to maintain a course away from shore.
stand over,
to supervise very closely; watch constantly: He won't work unless someone stands over him.
to put aside temporarily; postpone: to let a project stand over until the following year.
stand to,
to continue to hold; persist in: to stand to one's statement.
to keep at steadily: Stand to your rowing, men!
to wait in readiness; stand by: Stand to for action.
stand up,
to come to or remain in a standing position: to stand up when being introduced.
to remain strong, convincing, or durable: The case will never stand up in court. Wool stands up better than silk.
Slang.to fail to keep an appointment with (someone, especially a sweetheart or date): I waited for Kim for an hour before I realized I'd been stood up.
stand up for,
to defend the cause of; support: No one could understand why he stood up for an incorrigible criminal.
to serve a bridegroom or bride, as best man or maid (matron) of honor.
stand up to, to meet or deal with fearlessly; confront: to stand up to a bully.
Idioms
stand a chance/show, to have a chance or possibility, especially of winning or surviving: He's a good shortstop but doesn't stand a chance of making the major leagues because he can't hit.
before 900;Middle Englishstanden (v.), Old Englishstandan; cognate with Old Saxonstandan,Middle Dutchstanden,Old High Germanstantan, standa, standan; akin to Latinstāre to stand, sistere,Greekhistánai to make stand, Sanskritsthā to stand, Old Irishat-tá (he) is
also standby, 1796, originally nautical, of a vessel kept nearby for emergencies, from stand (v.) + by. In civil aviation, as an adjective meaning "without a booked ticket," from 1961. The verbal phrase stand by "await, support" is from 13c. As an order to hold one's self in readiness, it is recorded from 1660s.
stand
v.
Old English standan (class VI strong verb; past tense stod, past participle standen), from Proto-Germanic *sta-n-d- (cf. Old Norse standa, Old Saxon and Gothic standan, Old High German stantan, Swedish stå, Dutch staan, German stehen), from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet).
Sense of "to exist, be present" is attested from c.1300. Meaning "to pay for as a treat" is from 1821. Phrase stands to reason (1620) is from earlier stands (is constant) with reason. Phrase stand pat is originally from poker (1882); stand down in the military sense of "go off duty" is first recorded 1916. Standing ovation attested by 1968; standing army is from c.1600.
stand
n.
"pause, delay," Old English, from the root of stand (v.). Meaning "place of standing, position" is from c.1300; figurative sense is from 1590s. Sense of "action of standing or coming to a position" is attested from late 14c., especially in reference to fighting. Meaning "raised platform for a hunter or sportsman" is attested from c.1400.
Sense of "stall or booth" is first recorded c.1500. Military meaning "complete set" (of arms, colors, etc.) is from 1721, often a collective singular. Sense of "standing growth of trees" is 1868, American English. Theatrical sense of "each stop made on a performance tour" is from 1896. The word was formerly also slang for "an erection" (1867).
